Today's post is about all things Public Relations. As a small business owner (read: one-woman operation), I was VERY hesitant about reaching out to others for help this past year. But, I have learned that by partnering with experts in their own fields, like the amazing AMAZING (did I say Amazing?!) KJ of Hearsay PR, I could stop relying on myself for all of the answers and learn SO MUCH.

Here is the list of the top lessons I have learned from working with a PR company:

SMALL BUSINESSES LOVE OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES. KJ has helped me to form connections with people who I considered to be "above me" or "out of my league" and they have answered emails enthusiastically and kindly. I am blown away by how kind people are when you just reach out.

ASK FOR HELP. As a recovering perfectionist and current super mom who juggles "all of the things", I have a really hard time asking for help. But, the tricky part of not asking for help is that you burn out without it. I want my business to last, so I had to hunker down and ask for a person who knows so much about marketing, public relations, connecting to others and pitching ideas about how to make sense of it all.

PITCH EMAILS ARE FUN TO WRITE. I used to HATE HATE HATE (!!!) writing emails to companies and never hearing back from them. I also don't love marketing myself, except for on social media where I do actually love it! I am cursed with the unfortunate ability of helping others much easier than helping myself. ENTER HEARSAY. KJ has taught me what the essential parts of a pitch email are, how to answer with confidence, and how to let my personality still shine through amongst all of the business talk. I love writing to companies now and have made some new friends out there because I have learned how to conquer this residual shyness.

DON'T JUST ASK FOR THINGS. I knew this one all along, but KJ has helped me to really wordsmith this message into my connections with new companies and partnerships. No one loves getting an email asking for free stuff or promotion, it feels spammy. BUT, people love receiving emails or phone calls with ideas (enter me, the idea queen!) about how 2 or more companies can work together for the benefit of both. I feel much more capable now of asking with a real idea that could be awesome for my business but also for the other business that I would like to partner with.

BE BRAVE(R). I am brave. But I am also a human being and I run out of steam and burn out just like the rest of the world. I may seem like I am a tough cookie, but I needed a partner. Someone who wouldn't tell me that all of my ideas are wonderful, but would gently and kindly pick them apart and guide me in the right direction. Meet KJ.

GET ORGANIZED. KJ has taught me how to plan out my big goals and little goals per month on a calendar that we both share. It's REMARKABLE. I like being held accountable. I also (competitive much, Megan?) love to add things to the calendar that she doesn't know about and WOW her when we have our phone check-in meetings. Being organized is an essential step to crushing dreams.